


You Can Still Be Free

by Wolf_of_Winterfell



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Death, F/M, Family, Goodbyes, Love, Unfinished Business, joffrey is a prick, loose ends, restless spirit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-05-09 17:51:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5549825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolf_of_Winterfell/pseuds/Wolf_of_Winterfell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sansa escapes with Sandor after the Battle of Blackwater Bay. They are riding back to Winterfell when things don't quite go to plan.</p><p>Please look at tags and warnings, it may not be what you expect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Can Still Be Free

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this swirling in my head for a while. It's not very fluffy but I hope you like it.
> 
> It kept me busy on a lazy Boxing Day anyway.
> 
> The timeline is a bit wonky, so don't think too hard about the sequence of events as they happen in the book.
> 
> Sansa is aged up to around 20.
> 
> Title is a Savage Garden song, a brilliant one! Give it a listen on Youtube, if yiu have a spare few minutes.

Sandor and Sansa had been riding for days, ever since they escaped on the day the Blackwater burnt. They'd evaded search parties, thieves, angry small folk and the horrific aftermath of the Red Wedding. Gods be praised that they didn't make better time on their journey, else their lives would have been ended violently along with the rest.

They were hungry, cold and aching. Stranger was starting to struggle and to top it all off, there wasn't an inn or house to be seen. Sandor had heard that the Lannister men had been ordered to torch any inns to hamper the Stark army from gaining provisions or information, he didn't realise it was so bad. Winter was almost here and it would hit hard. 

The pair had taken to sharing a bedroll, bundling themselves in all the cloaks, furs and scraps of cloth they could to preserve their precious body heat. When the stock of dry fire wood was depleted, there was nothing else they could do.

Sansa and Sandor went to sleep in each other's arms again, as they had many times before. This time was different. 

 

..............

 

Sansa came to with a start. Her aches were gone and for the first time in a long time, she wasn't hungry or cold, things were looking up. "Sandor!" She shook the figure bundled up next to her.

"What?" A grey eye opened, unwillingly.

"Are you hungry?" She enquired.

"Not really. I could sleep some more though". The grey eye closed.

"Are you cold?" Sansa pressed her point.

"Nope. You've kept me plenty warm little bird". His eyes were closed.

A snow covered twig crunched behind them and they both shot up out of their makeshift bed.

"What have we got here then?" Two men advanced towards them, looking around them inquisitively. Sandor pushed her behind him on reflex and reached for his sword, the two men didn't flinch. 

"Stop you bastards or I'll kill you both!" Sandor snarled, as fearsome as ever.

The men must be fearless, they didn't flinch at all at his threat. In fact, they addressed each other and ignored him completely.

"Look around Jeyke, there may be stuff we can use". The bigger man addressed the smaller man, these were smallfolk. 

Sandor was coiled ready to spring but Sansa knew that he was weakened from their journey.

"Fuck! Harry! There's bodies!" The smaller man shouted out, motioning towards their camp.

Sansa and Sandor turned around, to see their makeshift bed was occupied. They moved closer as the larger man peeled back the layers. Sansa screamed as the her body and Sandor's were revealed, still embracing.

 

............

 

Sandor cursed profusely,  Sansa screamed until she was sure that no sound was coming out of her mouth, Sandor put his arm around her and she snuggled into him.

"Poor devils, what were they doing out here in this weather?" The smaller man had removed his hat and clutched it to his chest.

"They must have got caught by the weather. Looks like they went to sleep, got covered in snow and never woke up again". The bigger man looked at their bodies.

Sansa hadn't realised how scruffy they both looked, her normally slim frame had become sunken from the lack of food. Sandor's muscley body had wasted too. They were both filthy. She started sobbing again.

"It's been a good week since the worst of the snow hit, they must have been here since then. We'd best bury them or it'll attract carrion, lucky they didn't get got already". The larger man retreated to their horses and retreived some shovels. The two men set to digging, as Sandor and Sansa stood mute by their side.

As their grave was ready, the two men lifted Sandor's body with difficulty and put him in the ground. They repeated it with Sansa, laying her gently by his side. The two men stood silently by the side of the grave, observed unseen by the big scarred man and the slim red head.

"We didn't know ye but we're sorry that ye didn't make it. May the Gods hold ye both now". The larger man placed Sandor's sword flat on top of his body. They filled in the hole and went on their way.

 

...........

 

"Sandor. Are we dead?" Sansa hoped this was a bad dream.

"Looks that way little bird. Not many people attend their own funeral" Sandor chuckled.

"How can you laugh!  We're dead!" Sansa hit his chest with her small fist.

"What can we do about it? We died in our sleep, together. I can think of worse ways to go. A peaceful death was more than I could ever hope for" Sandor was matter of fact.

"Why are we still here? Shouldn't we have moved on now, shouldn't the Stranger have claimed us?" Sansa was scared to ask. 

"I dunno little bird, being dead is new to me too." Sandor looked down at her face. "We need a plan though" Sandor spoke plainly.

"Old Nan used to say that spirits only lingered when they had unfinished business". Sansa spoke thoughtfully.

"What have we left to do?" Sandor asked.

 

..........

 

They were back in the Red Keep. So much had changed for them but the Red Keep was exactly the same. They moved through the familar corridors completely unseen.

"I wish people had ignored me like this when I was alive, instead of giving me hateful and mocking looks" Sansa reflected.

"You? Ha! Trying being a lowly disfigured giant and then tell me how bad your little looks and stares were!" Sandor laughed and poked her arm. A smile twitched on her face but didn't break out fully.

A familar figured walked past. Cersei. 

"I hate that fucking whore" Sandor growled. "Joffrey could have been controlled if it wasn't for her". They followed her back to her chambers.

Cersei sat in her chair in her solar, drinking a glass of wine like it was water. She stared off into the distance

Sansa stared into Cersei's eyes, only an inch or two seperated their faces. "What made her so hateful? She made my time here miserable". Sandor thought back to how Cersei encouraged Joffrey's cruelty to Sansa and he slammed his fist down hard on the table. The table shook. Cersei called out in surprise, spilling her precious wine. 

Sansa's eyes widened. "How did you do that?" 

Sandor looked at his fist in surprise, "focus hard, I was angry".

Sansa reached out to stroke Cersei's hair but she didn't react.

"Focus on everything she did to you, directly or indirectly".

Sansa thought hard about all the mocking at her expense, the times she was degraded and forced to wear indecently tight gowns. She reached out again and stroked Cersei's shoulder. Cersei shrieked in surprise and shot up out of her chair. Two guards came running in.

Sansa looked at Sandor, her mouth curled in satisfaction. "It strikes me Ser that neither of us had much fun while we were here. Do you want to put that right?" The broad grin on his face gave her the answer she was looking for, he didn't even bother to correct her.

 

.........

 

It took them a few days to discover what they could do but they got stronger and more confident in their new abilities.

"Where do we start?" Sansa asked.

Sandor laughed.

They visited a busy wine sink, one of Sandor's previous favourite haunts. 

"Why are we here?" She asked him.

"This was one of the places I used to piss my wages up the wall.  The owner used to water down the wine as I got drunker and used to relieve me of any excess money once I'd passed out". 

"That's horrible. Why did you come here?" Sansa felt bad for him.

"It staved off the loneliness". The expression on his face broke her heart. 

They melted through the crowd very easily. Sansa left his side and went behind the bar. 

"Sandor! Look at me!" She called over to him.

 

She turned to the bar. "Good evening Sir. What beverage may I get for you?" She gave a mocking curtsey, the owner passed right through her, "well isn't that rude, walking through me like I'm not even here". She swatted at the bottles behind the bar, they rattled violently. Everyone in the bar turned to look. "Oh my, am I making a spectre of myself?" She held a hand to her chest and fluttered her eyelashes. She stopped touching the bottles and they stilled as quickly as they'd started. The bar was so quiet, everyone looked at each other, uncertain of what they'd just seen. "Sandor! I'll make him pay for what he did to you". 

After she addressed him, she thought she'd try something. She focused hard on how this man had cheated Sandor and stolen from him. "Free drinks for everyone, come and get them!" She shouted from behind the bar. A great cheer went up and the crowd lurched forward, legs and bodies scrambled over the bar and started grabbing, the owner only just made it out of the way in time. It was a free for all. Sansa moved back to Sandor's side.

"How did you do that?" Sandor was shocked. 

"The same way we can do everything else. He's paid for what he did to you". Sansa gave him a kiss on the side of his face. Sandor smiled.

 

............

 

"Do we see Cersei again?" Sandor enquired. 

"I think I'm ready to see Joffrey now".

They were in his bedchamber. One of Baelish's whores lay dead on the floor with a crossbow bolt between her shoulderblades. Another naked whore, a red head, sat cowering on the royal bed. Joffrey sat in a chair opposite, stroking a dagger with more enthusiasm than was necessary.

Sansa stood shocked as Joffrey eyed up his next victim. "Do as I told you". His green eyes were full of hatred.

"M.m.m.my name is Sansa Stark and I'm a traitor's daughter and a slut. I ran off with your Dog before you had the chance to fuck me". The red head on the bed dissolved into tears.

"Is that an admission of guilt Lady Sansa". Joffrey had ceased his stroking of the dagger.

"Y y y y yes. You need to punish me hard, Your Grace. I'm unworthy of your royal cock." The whore lay back, laying bare her woman's place for all to see. Sansa could see what was coming next, Joffrey was advancing on her like a shadowcat hunting its prey.

 

"Yes. Yes you are unworthy and you shall be punished. But have my cock you shall!" Joffrey was standing over the whore, the dagger held high above her.

Sandor left his place by Sansa's side and barrelled into Joffrey, sending the scrawny King flying across the room. Sansa leaned over the scared woman and whispered to her. "Joffrey gave you me bad wine and would have killed me. I will leave Kings Landing and never return. I need to go now before anyone realises what happened". She needed no further convincing and accepted Sansa's suggestion as her own thoughts. She gathered up her clothes and ran from the room.

The scrawny boy King was in a heap on the floor. He was cradling a broken arm and his head had a lump that was growing by the second, confusion obvious on his face. Sandor made to move towards him but caught his arm. She leaned over him.

"Well well Joffrey, what a state you're in. How the mighty have fallen." Sansa focused on all the suffering he had caused, the losses she had sustained and the humiliation he enjoyed causing her.

Joffrey's eyes were bulging like saucers. "Sansa?" 

She materialised in front of his eyes. "Torturing whores and pretending they are me? Not very Kingly!" 

"You're missing. You're not here. I bumped my head". His hand flew to his forehead.

"If I wasn't here, I couldn't do this". She pinched his chest hard as he squealed in pain.

"Witch! You're a traitorous slut and a witch!" Joffrey was sobbing.

"Name calling isn't nice but then you were dragged up by that bitch of a mother weren't you?" Sansa enjoyed shocking him with the profanity Sandor would use. She looked behind her and saw him standing behind her, unobserved by Joffrey but reassuring nevertheless.

Joffrey roared in protest. "I should have got my Dog to kill you!"

"He wouldn't have, unlike you he is a decent man. In spite you trying to break him". Sansa goaded him.

Joffrey tried to grab her but his hands didn't connect. He sobbed but his eyes widened again when Sandor appeared behind her.

"Dog!" He pleaded. "Seize her and kill her immediately,

Sansa snapped "THAT IS NOT HIS NAME!!" She drew back her dainty foot and gave him a hefty kick to the ribs, he doubled over in pain. "You've caused too much suffering to too many people. It ends now". Sandor placed a hand on her shoulder and drew her back."No! My father once said that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. That is true." Sansa shot forward and picked up the dagger lying by Joffrey. "Have you any last words for Joffrey, Sandor?"

He looked at Joffrey, remembering every vile deed he'd been ordered to do. "Aye. May the fucking Others take you, you thrice damned cunt". 

Joffrey's mouth was a perfect o of surprise, as Sansa lurched forward and ran the dagger over his throat. A ribbon of red followed the trail of the dagger, turning into a gush as she pressed down harder. Joffrey flailed on the floor, gurgled on his own blood. He struggled on for a couple of minutes as the blood pooled around his body. The vitality drained from his body and he stilled. Sansa took no pleasure watching him in the throes of death, not like the sadistic boy king had with other people he'd sentenced to violent deaths for trifling misdemeanours. 

Sansa stood up and ran into Sandor's arm. He stroked her hair gently. Joffrey's reign of terror was over. She had avenged her family.

 

............

 

"It doesn't feel good. I killed him to make myself feel better but we are still dead too". Sansa looked over at Sandor.

He shrugged. "That can't be all you have to do". 

Sansa shook her head, "What about you?"

He thought for a second. "The only thing I would want to do before I leave this life is removing Gregor from it too. The Red Viper saw to that". 

They were walking again through the Keep. A gaggle of Cersei's handmaidens breezed past, tittering among themselves. As they listened in, they found out that Cersei was drunk and raging about Joffrey's murder. 

 

..........

 

As they entered her chambers, they were struck by how unkempt she was. Her usual perfect appearance was disheveled.  Strands of long blonde hair tumbled out of the complicated Southron hairstyle she favoured. Cersei's face was rosy red from wine and crying. 

Sandor was shocked. "She's finally lost it little bird."

"When she allowed Joffrey to take my father away from me, she kept me prisoner and saw me degraded. Honestly Sandor, I swear she enoyed seeing my public humiliation". Tears pricked in her eyes.

Sansa strode over to where the blonde woman was stood, looking out of the window. "Is there a heart in that body at all? Or a conscience?" Sansa made her over to her dressing table and ran her arm along it, knocking all the expensive imported glass bottles and trinkets onto the floor. She heard Cersei gasp behind her. "Joff? Joff? Are you here with me?" A wicked smile played on Sansa's lips.

A guard rushed in and paled at the scene before him, Cersei was screaming Joffrey's name and tearing at her own hair in distress. Sansa frolicked around the room, tipping pictures and moving a chair very slightly, out of sight of the guard. Cersei followed right behind her. Sansa skipped out onto the balcony, making the heavy drapes ripple under her touch. Cersei  stayed in close pursuit. 

Sandor watched the scene unfolding before his eyes. It was unsettling. On the balcony, Sansa was giggling and shoving Cersei as she stumbled after her. The courtiers in the yard below gasped as they saw Cersei on the balcony, alone and very obviously drunk. Sansa deepened her voice, doing a bad impression of Joffrey, "Why did you leave me mother? You left me to die!  You didn't love me. You failed me, my death is your fault!"

Cersei creased in paroxysms of sobs. "I love you Joff! Don't leave me! Come back to me my darling boy!" 

"Sansa! What are you doing girl?" Sandor was stood on the balcony too.

"Making her suffer". The response was short but to the point.

Their conversation was cut short by the arrival of more guards and a maester. "Come here Your Grace! You'll fall!" 

"Let me! I want my boy back. It's my fault" Cersei was perilously close to the edge. Her slippered foot wobbled on the edge and she started to teeter. 

The guards rushed forward but they were too far away to catch her. Her arms windmilled around, trying to propel herself to safety. As she fell, an unseen arm gripped her waist and didn't let go until the guards grabbed her. Cersei screamed, a blood curdling, banshee shriek which echoed around the Keep. She was only quietened by the tranquilisers given to her by the Maester.

 

.........

 

Sansa and Sandor were sat side by side on the battlements with their legs dangling over the side.

"Why did you save her? I thought you wanted her dead?" Sandor looked at her.

"I didn't say I wanted her dead, I wanted her to suffer like I did. Now she will for the rest of his life." Sansa's eyes were closed. "Did I go too far?"

"Maybe." Sandor wasn't sure.

"It's alright for you. You could cut someone down, beat someone bloody or get steaming drunk and no-one would think it odd. I've been powerless all my life, confined by courtesies and how ladies are expected to behave. It's stupid. The most freedom I've ever known is in death with you, I'm spending it tormenting the living". Sansa was ashamed.

"Little bird. All my life, I've been used for killings and beatings because that's all anyone thought I was good for. It's all I thought I was good for. I used to get drunk to try to forget the horrible things I'd done. People were scared of me or wanted to prove they weren't by trying to kill me. It wasn't a good life. It was fucking horrible". 

They sat in silence as they watched the sun set over Blackwater Bay.

 

............

 

The Keep was quiet, save for the odd patrolman. Cersei's fit of madness was still hot news.

"There has to be something left we need to see through. We should have moved on by now". Sansa was losing faith.

"Why are we here? This Keep doesn't hold good memories for us. Let's go somewhere else". Sandor racked his brain to think of anywhere else.

.........

 

Sansa focused hard on Arya, she had to know if she was alive. Sandor and Sansa were taken to a large hall, lit by candlelight. In the middle of the hall was a small pool of water. "Sandor, I don't know where we are."

"Me neither". Sandor was looking around for any sign of the familiar.

A man appeared before them, his long brown hair was punctuated with a white streak. "Man does not need eyes to see you. Spirits show yourselves in the House of Black and White".

Sansa gasped, no-one had seen them before unless they wanted to reveal themselves. Sandor nodded. Slowly, they took form.

The man gave them a hard look. "Arya! Girl will want to see this". 

 

Arya appeared through a side door. Her eyes widened as she took in her sister! "Sansa!" Arya threw herself forwards into her sister's arms. "How did you find me?" Her eyes opened and alighted on Sandor. "Hound! I'll kill you!" Arya's eyes were full of fury.

"Girl, that is not necessary. Sit. They will tell us why they're here".  The man gestured.

Sansa took Arya's hands in her own. "Arya. I don't know how to tell you this but Sandor and I died. We escaped from Joffrey and were on the road to Winterfell. We were weakened, starving and cold. We went to sleep one night and it snowed. We must have died in our sleep. Neither of us suffered, we just didn't wake up".

"No!" Arya's small body wracked with sobs, she clung onto Sansa and wouldn't let go. "But you're here! Both of you. You can't be dead. Tell them Jaqen!"

"Girl, this is the truth they speak. Man saw them appear before man's eyes". Jaqen didn't look as shocked as he should have been.

"I don't know why we're still here but I couldn't go anywhere without seeing you again". Sansa stroked her sister's hair. "I know we haven't always been close but you're my sister and I'll always love you. I'm sorry for anything I did which brought you pain".

Arya's sobs subsided and she quietened. "Jaqen, why are they still here?" 

He gave them a hard look before he answered. "Sometimes, just sometimes, man can't pass over. The Gods can't take those souls left in turmoil. Spirit has business left to attend to. Find it and be taken to the other realm". 

Arya turned to them. "You have to find peace, both of you. You can't flitter between both worlds. I'll always remember you with love, Sansa. Hound, I'll remember you because you love my sister. Go.I'll be fine here with Jaqen."

Sansa looked at Jaqen. "Please look after her Ser, she's the only sister I have". She turned to Arya. "Thank you. I need to find Bran and Rickon, if they are still alive". Sandor inclined his head towards Arya as they started to fade from view.

 

..........

 

Sandor and Sansa found themselves in front of a weirwood tree. The carved face reassured Sansa. "I don't know what we're doing here, Bran isn't here". She sat against the trunk, dejected.

Sansa. Sansa. My sister. 

"Did you hear that Sandor?" Sansa asked.

Sandor shook his head.

Sansa. I'm here. It's Bran. You don't need to explain, I've seen what happened to you. I'm sorry.

Sansa started to cry. "Bran! It's been so long since I saw you last and now I never will. Arya is still alive. Where's Rickon?"

We will meet again, maybe not for a while but our family will be whole again. I have seen Arya in Braavos. Rickon is wandering,  not lost, just on an adventure which will see him become the man he is meant to be. He's not strong enough to see you yet, he's been through a lot.

"Why did this happen to us?"

I don't know. Just remember the love that we all had for each other, we will have that love back again. Sandor Clegane loves you and did his best to keep you safe. He is lost just like you. You need each other to move on.

"I love you Bran. I didn't want to leave like this".

I know. Some things are out of our control. Go now with my love and find peace. I will find you when the time is right sweet sister.

"Goodbye Bran. Tell Rickon about me and remind him how much I love him."

Of course. Farewell.

Sandor watched the silent exchange Sansa was having, tears rolled down her face as she conversed with an unseen person.

 

...........

 

"There's one last person on this Earth that I would like to see, if that's alright Sandor". Sansa placed a small hand on his arm. He nodded.

They were in a dark, dank room on the Wall. Jon Snow sat before them, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. He had a quill in his hand and was scribbling furiously. A fat man stood by his right shoulder. Jon looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Sansa shook her head, indicating that she didn't want to be seen. She walked around the desk to Jon Snow's left hand side, she bent down and placed a small kiss on his cheek. He dropped his quill and his hand flew to his face.

"Jon?" The fat man spoke. 

"I thought someone just kissed me!" His hand lingered on his cheek.

"Wishful thinking eh?" The fat man chuckled. 

Jon didn't answer. He gazed in the direction of Sansa and Sandor, she started to think that he could see them.

"Why don't you show yourself?" Sandor asked.

Sansa shook her head mournfully. "We didn't really get on. I was a stupid girl who could have treated him much better when we were together. It looks like he's got enough on his mind. Arya can tell him at a better time". 

"You love him though don't you Sansa?" Sandor probed.

Before she could answer, a sqwark over Jon Snow's shoulder startled them both. 

"Caw! Caw! Caw. Sansa!" All 4 heads in the room snapped up to look at the raven. The raven had been obscured by the large man.

Sansa had an idea.

"Caw! Sansa. Caw. Caw. Loves. Caw caw. Jon. Caw. Sorry." The bird squealed for corn as a treat.

Jon looked startled. "What's up with Mormont's raven?" 

The fat man shrugged. "He's a great mimic, always has been. Clever bugger". 

"Who is he mimicking?" Jon and the fat man were mystified as Sandor and Sansa melted away.

 

...........

 

They were back on the battlements of the Red Keep.

"There has to be things you need to do". Sansa enquired gently. 

"Just a couple." Sandor hadn't considered them until he'd followed Sansa.

He focused on his memory of his former home. 

They stood in the hall of Clegane Keep. The yellow and black banners with the dog sigil of his house had been ripped down. Following Gregor's death and his disgrace, the family home had been passed to another family. Sandor's eyes were fixed on the fireplace.

"It happened here didn't it?" Sansa asked quietly.

Sandor nodded. As they stood there, 4 children of varying ages bombed through, followed closely by a Septa. The hall was filled with laughter and merriment.  The children played under the Septa's watchful eye. Sandor smiled.

"We can leave now" Sandor said.

Sansa looked at him quizzically. 

"This place was filled with misery, darkness and foreboding. So much so that I couldn't wait to leave and I never came back. The Clegane line died with me. Look at it now! There's happiness,  laughter and light. It's erased all the bad things that happened here. That's all I wanted to see". Sansa gave him a hug.

 

.........

 

"One last place little bird, then we can leave the earth". Sandor focused on the last thing he loved.

They were in a small wooded area, before them was a snow covered clearing. Sandor found what he needed to see and ran ahead.

His great war horse, Stranger, was lying on his side. The huge black beast was labouring to breath, he took shallow breaths. Sandor placed a large hand on his nose. Stranger stilled when he recognised his master and resumed his intensive breathing.

"This horse is the only friend I ever had. He fought for me in battle, he carried me where I needed to go. Everyone avoided him like they avoided me, nasty tempered buggers the pair of us but I failed him and I failed you. He should have lived many more years, as should you. Stranger should have died in a warm stable with his belly full of food. You should have died of old age, in a comfortable bed surrounded by your grandchildren." Sandor's head bowed. Tears streamed silently down his face.

Sandor's hand lingered on his nose. Stranger took a few more laboured breaths before he stilled completely. "Goodbye old friend". Sandor's eyes closed as he struggled to contain his grief.

"Sandor! Look!" Sansa cried out. As his head snapped up. He saw Stranger stood in front of them. He materialised as they had. He whinnied and nudged Sandor's hand with his head. Sandor buried his face in Stranger's mane. 

"Stranger,  you great lumbering beast. If you stay here with us then you're doomed to wander like we are. Go, be free. Find some Lannister soldiers on the other side to bite and kick in the face. I won't let you stay here". 

Stranger shook his mane, stamped his feet and whinnied. "Go on you stubborn lummox, go now".  Strange stilled and bowed his head. He turned around and started running, he disappeared from their view in a flash.

Sansa put her arm around Sandor as he sobbed uncontrollably into her hair.

 

..........

 

They sat on the Red Keep's battlements again, legs dangling over the side. 

"We're stuck here, aren't we?" Sansa's voice was small.

"It looks that way" Sandor answered honestly.

They sat silently watching the sun set over Blackwater Bay. Sansa laced her small hand with his.

On instinct, he reached down and pulled her mouth to his. To his surprise, she didn't pull away. Their kiss lingered, full of warmth and tenderness. Sandor was the one to break it. "Little bird, I've been wanting to do that since the day I saw you".

She looked at him in surprise, "and why didn't you?" 

"I didn't think you'd want me to. And the small matter of Joffrey having my head. Well, he can't bloody well have it now can he". Sandor guffawed in a gale of laughter, joined by Sansa's sweet laugh.

"I love you Sansa and I'm sorry it took us both being dead before I could tell you" he grasped her hand.

"I love you too Sandor. I would have died on the road with you a thousand times before being locked in this castle for another day". She lay her head against his shoulder.

A bright flash appeared before them, they raised their hands to shield their eyes but it engulfed them both.

 

...........

 

They were back in the great hall at Winterfell, it was busier than Sansa had ever seen it.

Ned Stark sat at the head of the table, flanked either side by his wife and eldest son, Robb. The hall was full of familiar faces, Maester Luwin, Old Nan, Septa Mordane, Mycah the butcher's boy, Jory Cassel. Several more people stood around.  

Everyone turned to look at the newcomers.

Sansa's attention was caught by something outside of the window in the meadow, she gasped. "Sandor!" He followed her gaze and saw a great black horse, running around with two direwolves. Sandor's face broke out in a grin.

Their attention turned back to the hall. Sandor scanned the crowd for one face in particular. He wasn't expecting to see it but his eyes alighted on it. Seated by Lady Stark at the table was his mother, she smiled broadly at him.

Ned Stark spoke. "Sansa. Sandor. Welcome home". 


End file.
